regshoe | Flight of the Heron read-along: Part III chapters 1-2

You're viewing

regshoe's journal
Create a Dreamwidth Account Learn More

Reload page in style: site light

Charlie chose the place himsel', the graveyard of Culloden...

Well, it looks like Keith's prophecies about the fate of the Jacobites, at least, weren't too inaccurate...

Next week we'll read chapters 3 and 4 of part III.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

luzula

Ugh, the sense of DOOM in these chapters! I mean, it's really built into the history (I've definitely felt it while reading history books about it, too) but Broster makes the most of it. And I think it was a good choice not to include the actual battle. We can imagine it, after that lead-up.

I suppose, in the scene with Alison and Ewen before they get married, that Broster is going for one of her "conflicts of loyalties" themes, with Alison being torn between going to her ill father and staying to marry Ewen. In broad strokes I like it, but I think it might have worked better through Alison's eyes, since she's the one having the conflict. Although I do feel for Ewen, thinking that he may well be going to die soon, as well! But he doesn't want to say so. Also I do wonder why Alison hesitates even before getting the letter? I don't think we're meant to infer it's because she doesn't love him and doesn't want to marry him. My theory, I suppose, is that she doesn't want to admit what Ewen is thinking, namely that Ewen might be about to die as the army is defeated, and they should get what happiness they can, while they can.

This bit is lovely: From the quay Ewen went straight to Lochiel's head-quarters and reported himself for duty. Two hours later his body was marching out of Inverness in the van of the Cameron reinforcements. Where his soul was he hardly knew.

I do also love all the loyalty stuff with Lochiel. This time around I noticed this bit, where Ewen is down at heart because of Alison leaving, and: Lochiel, who knew him well and did observe him closely, gave him as much to do as possible. Awww. I love this indication of Lochiel caring for Ewen. And then later after throwing himself in the way of the splinters, he wakes up in Lochiel's arms--awww. (I can't see Ewen/Lochiel though, it smacks too much of parent/child incest for me, what with Lochiel being such a father figure for Ewen.)

Broster is taking a stand on some controversial topics regarding the battle: whether they should have made a stand at the Spey, which battlefield would have been the best, whether the Franco-Irish officers were competent or not. I note that mostly Duffy does not agree with her on these issues, though I'm sure opinions vary.

From:

regshoe

Broster is going for one of her "conflicts of loyalties" themes, with Alison being torn between going to her ill father and staying to marry Ewen.

Oh yes, that's a good point! But, as you say, we don't get to see much of the conflict, and it doesn't make for such compelling tension as other conflicts of loyalty will later on.

I can imagine Alison thinking of the happy, normal, peaceful wedding she thought she was going to have at the start of the book, before BPC turned up, and desperately wanting to believe that it's still possible for her and Ewen to have that, later on when all this is over and they're all fine—whereas marrying in a hurry now is, as you say, tantamount to acknowledging the likelihood that Ewen will be killed and that future will never exist. Fate has overtaken them all, or something...

Aww, yes, Lochiel quietly caring for heartbroken Ewen by 'giving him as much to do as possible', that's lovely.

Good point about Broster's disagreements with Duffy! Although she does at least present the argument against the alternative battlefield across the Nairn. Doubtless the history is complicated and contentious. I suppose Broster's low opinion of the Franco-Irish officers reflects the fact that she's writing from the perspective of Scottish Jacobites who are opposed to them—some of the worst things said about them are in Ewen and Lochiel's dialogue.

From:

hyarrowen

I can imagine Alison thinking of the happy, normal, peaceful wedding she thought she was going to have at the start of the book, before BPC turned up, and desperately wanting to believe that it's still possible for her and Ewen to have that

That makes a lot of sense of something that always confused me. But it reminds me of my early reaction to covid - I got rather rules-lawyery, and I think it was my brain trying to assert normality. Silly brain.

From:

hedgebird

Broster is taking a stand on some controversial topics regarding the battle: whether they should have made a stand at the Spey, which battlefield would have been the best, whether the Franco-Irish officers were competent or not. I note that mostly Duffy does not agree with her on these issues, though I'm sure opinions vary.

Oh interesting. I'm glad you're flagging these things! It's so easy to take even a novel as authoritative, when you (i.e. I) haven't read any alternative accounts.